Elevator-door closer



J. M. GRAHAM.

ELEVATOR DOOR CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED DEc. 5, isn.

1,309, 1 30. Patented Julyxs, 1919. f 'Z f 6W/155%@ 41 ff .I III. L@

JMES M.Gra"n.am

THE COLUMBIA I-LANOGRAIII co., wAsHlNnToN. II. c.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OEE-ion `rAiviEs M. GRAHAM, OE MArLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOE To ELEvATOE SUPPLIES COMPANY, INC., A' CORPORATION or MEW JERSEY.

ELEVATOR-DOOR CLOSER'.

Specification of Letters Patent..

Patented July s, 1919.

Application filed December 5, 1917. l Serial No. 205,490.v

To all "Lo/0m 'it may concern -Y Be it known 4that I, JAMES M. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Maplewood, New Jersey, have inventedicertain new and useful Improvements in Elevator-Door Glosers, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to door controlling means and particularly to means for automatically effecting the closing `or the opening movement of an elevator door.

Inmany places, at the present time, safety regulations require that automatic closing mechanisms be connected to the doors of elevator wells Thek installation ofy ordinary door closing mechanisms, particularly in' old structures,'is a difficult and expensive undertaking because of the diversity in the sizes and locations and ranges of travel of the doors at the different landings. Moreover, to some extent the same difficulty is experienced vwith new constructions. This is due to the fact that with the usual leveroperated automatic door-closers, itis necessary to Vtake exact measurements for each iioor of the size and range of movement of the door or doors, and a large Vproportion of the parts for each installation must therefore be made specially.

. A general object ofthe present invention is to provide a simple, compact, substantially self-contained and noiseless door closing mechanisml that will be eiiective for its purpose and yet canbe ouickly and easily installed either in old' or in new structures. More particularly, the invention aims to provide a door closing mechanism which may `be carried by ythe-door without interfering with the door hangers or, the other mechanisms, associated with the door, and which will not side of the door. An important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the actuating mechanism of the door-closer and a cushioning mechanism all in one casing which may be carrie'dby the door, and all in one plane, 'so that the casing may be mounted latwise of door and thus go into the narrowv spaces provided, either in old or in new constructions, in the region of the door hangers.

Other objects and important features of the invention will appear from the follow- Y ing description and claims when considered project materially to eitherl in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichl Figure 1 is a side elevation of door-closing means embodying the present invention, thel cover of the inclosing casing being removed; Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l,V Fig. 3 is a detail elevation showing the door-closing means mounted-upon-the door between the door hangers; l

Fig. 4 is a view similar toFi'g 3, showing the door-closing 'means' mounted near one sideof the door vand beneath'oneof the hangers; and v l v Y Fig. 5 'is adetail view illustrating the springadjusting means.'V

The "llustratedy mechanism, which comprises means for effectingv the movement of the door. and means fordcushioning this movement, .is inclosed ina casing comprisingv a shallow box 2having a removable cover 4. rlhe box2 carries a studshaft 6, which receives-thehubS of a drum 10. At its periphery, the drum. 10 is provided with flanges 12 between kwhich fits' a strap 14 adapted to be wound upon itselfupon the drum, this strap being guided through an opening 16 in the casing. The guide opening 16 and the flanges` 12 cause the strap to be wound upon itself upon the drum, in the plane of the drum. f

The drum is spring-actuated inthe winding direction, the unwinding of the strap from the drum, aszthe door is moved to open position tensioning they spring for the winding operation. In the illustrated construction the drum actuating spring is shown as a spirally-coiled 'spring 18, connected at its outer end at 20 to the cylindrical partv of the drum, and atits inner end connected at 22 to the hub 24 of spring adjusting means 26 carried bythe cover 4, the hub v24 surrounding the hub 8 of the drum.

The spring tensioning device 26 comprises a plate having notches 28 cooperating with a locking pawl 30 and having wrench-receiving openings 32 by which the plate26 and its attached hub ma be turned in tliepspring tensioning direction. The plate 26: has a central opening through which-a screw 34 tapped into the stud-shaft.y 6 connects the spring tensioning device and with it the cover 4 to the box 2l and its contained arts.

The cover4 is valso `attached to the x-.2

by screws, boltsforfothersrneans '34, entering the openings 86 in the boX 2. Theopenings 38 are provided for the attachment of the device tothe Vdoor Withl which it isy associated.

The strap 14, which at one end is attached to the drum 10, carries at its other end a snap hook 40 or other suitable means tor lattaching it'to thedoor frame orother'stationary part and preferablyalso jcarries astop 42 which serves both to limit the movement of, the ,strap .finto thecasingy `and also cooperates with a catch 44rpivoted upon the. casing aty 46. in` such relation Lto fthe path 'ot' movement of .the stop ,42, that said. stop Wfillf :move past fsaid. catch;v as Athe .strap is drawn into fthe-casing. l The catch 44,1due to the Weight of the link 48 and nconnected .operating handle50, Will move into position -toiprevvent :the outvvardvmovementa'of the strap 14 until the catch 144T is-relea-sed `by the l:operator through -th'e :hand-lever 50.

To cushionthe closing movementfotwthe door, a stopy52proects yieldingly tromthe end of the casing through Which :the strap 14 is clraivniithe .stop :52 being 4,provided with a stein 54 guidedein said;zcasing'a1id connectedat itszinner `end fto the-long arm 56 'of raf bell-'cranky'levelgathe short farm V58 tot' whichf -is- .connectedf to tithe: fplun'ger v6() of a dash-pot :62, epivota'lly 4supported at- 64 vnear :thefbottomwofz:theaeasing 2. The .dash-pot (32 isfof :f ordinary- :.constructi'on, including a. 'by-pass 64v and 'an vadjustable valve l66, =and .fm-asmuch asl. it fdoes :not: specifically -constr ltute apart of thepresent invention, it is not `hereinillustrated in detail. 'A spring'iSS,

. and ,stop'may project abovethetop of the door-,fthecoperating sto-ps V701 may be mounted i upon 'the z'doorhanger-y support 72.-as shown, and' in thisxposition of sthe Aparts"the stop 152;:may .be normally, projeetech its full distance from lthe casing 2 without) projectingqiinto' the: door: f opening. `When, hoivever,fthei doorscloser-is located upon ithe doon 1in sthe position shown in Fig. 4,51 it' the` stopl .52 were proj ectedf :the normal amount; tromItheficasingp2it imi'ght yproject into'ithe door openingfandwthus intertere-f Muth' Apeople `ffenter1ng\ rorajleavmg the elevator: car. In: f ordern therefore, tol hold the stop .in retractedposition in lsuch cases,

mechanism is provided for automatically locking the stop in retracted position When Vlthe door is'l closed' and for releasing the stop and permitting' its normal project-ion from .the casi1ig..\vlien the door has been opened and again starts upon its closing movement.

6:52, :to xlock v:the 1 stop 52 iini its retracted po- 1sition,',the dogbeingwthrownbacl into its lochingnposition "by the* shoulder 80 at. the

other end of thisl recess Whenthe stem 54 is Ymovechrfinto, thezzeasinguduring@` the' door cushioning-,movement To Y,releasezthe dog/174,;When` thefdooragam startsuto close .after havingrbeenopened, a --tr1pl lever 1sI aprovidedg Which;l 1s tulcrumed upon the. pin 76, and fhasone 'arm-:82m11- .ranged to ,engage awpinf84aupon thef'dog 74 *and a'ssecond iprojeeted'into thelpath ALor 'travel lof: arpint'goiithe drumilO..f It will abe :seen @that Vthe/trip leven isso arranged that when? `the drum. isfmoving fini the strap ,fun-vaindingbdirection,4 lthat;is, 4Whenthe door YisY being open?ed,athe pinf88` W'iill 1 engagerthe arm 86 tot' thewtnip leverrand: rock `this Alever Without motingithe,i dog 7 4. When,however, -thelrum starts `to Wind `the strap {14,wth-at is, when'vthe door startsito closeydurring Ithe first quarternturniof the adium, the pin 88 Wiill engage; the right-hand side ofithe armwSG, Fig. l-,i'andirock bothithe'tznip lever "andthe dogv g74ffin1the; direction ywto disengngeuthe laterals'ilugf :175011 't'he dog"74l tl-om the shoulder 78 ofthe 't stop `stem v 54,` *thus 1 permitting the spring 68 :to fprojectthe Stop 52' .to fits [normal idistance from thefcasing 2, thereby bringing' vthel stop 52 and.y -itss associated cushioning means .u into i position! f:to cushion the: closing `movement Votithe door.

kFrom the foregoing 5 description fthey operation oiiithe devicewill readily beunderstood. Then thei parts are iin the, lposition shown in- Ffigs. liz-and, athe;` dooris` closed and locked, Ythe catch lf44;-ibeing '.iiizlockirigr position in front :ofthe stop 42 on 'thestrap 14. Bywdepressing .vthe "handle'endf of the lever.I 50, the foperator may unlocln the 'door and move it to open position'againstvthe action 'of the spring l18;y which resists the univindingiofthestrap 14 fromthe drum 210.' While @the strap :is vbeing- 1unwound during ther'opening movement of the' door;` ltheupin 88 .does not interfere with the fposition' of thefdog74 which isfythen'fholding the stop 52 f iin#` retractedf: position. When, however, the'- wdoor is released rbyl thefoperatonfthe catch I:44y avillmoveup into 4position ,toube engagedrbythe* stop: 42, :andthe ilpin2 S8, which Will then bemovingf in -thei other fdire'etion, L thatv` is counter-cloekwiseg*Figf 1,

Will engage `the arm of the trip lever .rand move the dog 74 out of stopholding position,thus permitting the stop 52 tobe projectedxby itszspring 68, thismovement at the saine time draWing the piston out in thel dash-pot 62 so that the dash-pot will retard the movement of the stop 52 when it engages the stop and thus cushion the casing of the door. As the stem 54 and its shoulder 75 ivill thenv be moved ytothe left so as to cause. the shoulder to throw the *dog 7l into A engagement yWith the said `shoulder 7S, said engagement Willbe mainrow spacesV Which are usually foundA in the* region of the upper end of the door and'- in the region of the door-hanger. Moreover, it Will be noted that the Whole mechanism is self-contained and requires neither alteration of the structure for its attachment, nor any particular skill in its installation in order to secure its proper Working. The device readily adjusts itself to varying ranges of door movement and varying structural conditions.

What I claim as new is l. Door closing means comprising, in combination, a relatively shallow casing adapted to be carried by the door substantia ly in the plane of the door movement, a stra and a strap Winding drum located in sai casing and arranged to Wind the strap upon said drum to thereby close the door, said strap being o'uided through one end of said casing and adapted to be connected to the door frame, a door stop yieldingly projected from said end of said casing adapted to cushion the door when closed by said spring, said stop located at one side of said drum and in the plane thereof, a dash-pot located at another side of said drinn and also in the plane thereof, and a bell-crank lever connecting said stop and said dash-pot.

2. Door closing means comprising, in combination, a relatively shallow casing adapted to be carried by the door substantially in ythe plane of the door movement, a strap guided through one end of said casing and adapted to be connected to the door frame, a strap Winding drum in said casing and a spring located within said drum for rotating the same, a sto yieldingly projected from said casing in t e direction of its movement with the door and movable in the plane of said casing, drum and spring, a dashpot connected to said stop to cushion the door on closing thereof by said spring, said dashpot located at `the side oi'isaid drum and in the same plane therewith.

. 3. In door closing means, the combination 'With a casing, a strap and a-spring-actuated drum normally tending to wind said strap into said casing, of a cushioning stop, means .tending normally to project said stop from said casing, means for retaining said stop in retracted position, and means whereby said last mentioned means is released by the unwinding of said strap.

4. In door closingmeansadapted to be carried by the door and to cooperate with the door' frame, the combination With a strap to be connected vto the door frame, and automatic strap Windingmeans to be carried by the door, of a yieldingly projected door (cushioning stopl also carried by the door,

means for holding said stop in retracted position as the door is moved to vopen position, and meansactuatedb-y the Winding of said strap as said door is automatically moved to closed position for releasingisaid stop. I

Door closing means comprising a relatively shallow casin adapted to be carried by the door substantially in the plane of the door movement, a strap and a strap Winding drum located in said casing and arranged to Wind the strap within said plane, said strap being guided through one end of said casing, a door stop yieldingly projected from said end of the casino' and located at one side of said drum, a. dash-pot located at another side of said drum in the plane thereof, a bellcrank lever connecting said stop and said dash-pot, and means brought into action on the closing of the door for automatically locking said stop in retracted position.

6. In door closing means,'the combination with a casing, a strap, a spring actuated drum for Winding up said strap and closing said door, said strap unWinding as said door is opened, a latch ixed relatively to said casing so that said strap may be moved past it as said drum unWinds, and a stop carried by said strap and arranged to be engaged by said latch when said strap is Wound into door closing position to thereby prevent unvinding of said strap and opening of the oor.

7. In door closing means, the combination with a drum, a spring for rotating said drum spirally coiled Within the drum and a strap connected to said drum to be Wound thereon, said drum, spring and strap bein arranged in one plane, of a casing for sait parts, a stud-shaft in said casing, a hub on said drum surrounding said shaft, and sprino tensioning means having a hub surroundbin said drum hub.

8. In oor closing means, the combination With a drum, a spring for rotating Said` arranged in one plane, of a easing-for said parts, a stud-shaft'inpsaid,easing, ay hub -on saidfdrum surrounding said shaft, .and spring tensioning means having a hub surrounding said drum hub, said spring tensioning means having a wrenoli engaging part proj eating to the outside of said easing.

9. Indoor closing means, the Combination with a relatively shallow easing having a removable cover, of a strap, a strap winding drum and a spring within. said drum for lOtating Suid drum, al1- carried lby said casing substantially in one plane, aI stud-shaft carried by one part of Said easing upon which said .drumis rotatably mounted, and spring tensioning means Carried by thefotlner part of said casing and also Comprising a `part within which said drum is rotatably mounted.

10. Indoor closing means, the `Combination with a:easing, of a strap movable relatively rtosaid casing, .and a spring-,actuated .drum normally tending to jinovesaid strap relativelyi-to saidp. easing, of a cushioning stop, meansl tending normally to. projectisaid stop from said leasing;:meansi for retaining said stopt-,1n retracted position, andmeans whereby said last-:mentioned means 1s lreleased eoneomitantly with; .the inward moveyment of- Said strap.

l11..;Inndoor closing means, the oombinationwith a leasing;.a'feushioning stop for said door carried,bytsaidcasmg meansnorniallytending tovprojeetxsaid; stop vfrom said Y zv'Signed at New ork city, N. Y., this 1st day=of December, 1917. f A 'J AMES M. GRAHAM.

(Jopesv of thisqpatent may be obtained for ve centsfeahybyaddressing the Commissioner of 2a.tents,

fwashingto'ny D. C. f 

